1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wound or spooled materials, including decorative ribbon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Different types of wound or spooled materials are presently in use. For example, decorative ribbon, string, thread, tape, and the like are characteristically wound in a rotary fashion onto a spool to facilitate space-efficient storage and access to the material by a user. Winding these materials onto the spool is typically accomplished using a machine which rotates the receiving spool and the material delivery device (which feeds the material onto the spool) in relation to one another such that the material is deposited in generally concentric or helical layers. The resulting product is a spool of material which can be serially unwound by the user after purchase.
For some such spooled materials, however, conditioning or preparation of the material after being wound off of the spool by the user is desirable. One salient example of such conditioning is decorative ribbon. Such ribbon is commonly removed from the spool in the length required, and then xe2x80x9cstrippedxe2x80x9d with a pair of scissors or other mechanical device (or even heat) to impart a curl to the ribbon for decorative purposes. Generally speaking, comparatively small radius curls (i.e., less than about 1 in radius) are most desirable, but this is dependent on a number of factors including user preference, size of the package or other application that the ribbon is being attached to, etc. The action of passing one side of the ribbon over the blade of the scissors alters the ribbon so that it curls preferentially and consistently in one direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the material. Speed is an important factor in this process, since the curl radius of the resulting ribbon varies in some proportion to the speed at which it passes over the blade. If a certain minimum speed is not achieved, the ribbon will not curl substantially. Humans being imperfect machines, the speed of the ribbon pull varies significantly from person to person, from pull to pull, and even within a given pull.
Furthermore, it is noted that the curl achieved using such prior art methods is difficult to maintain constant, and the radius of curl is difficult to control precisely. Also, kinks can occur in the ribbon while curling which make a given piece of curled ribbon non-uniform in appearance. This reduces the satisfaction provided to the user as well as any other individuals viewing the ribbon. There is also the labor involved with locating the scissors or other stripping device, and performing the stripping operation. Also, there is some potential for personal injury from the sharpened blade of the scissors or other stripping device, or heat from a curling device.
Additionally, the xe2x80x9ctwistxe2x80x9d present in the ribbon is difficult to maintain uniform. Twist is imparted to the ribbon in order to form a helical shape such that when the ribbon is left free-standing, it generally defines the shape of a cylinder. If the curl/twist is non-uniform, then the helix formed by the ribbon when free-standing may be non-uniform as well, thereby resulting in an undesirable appearance.
Another desirable attribute of decorative ribbon in certain applications is the use of two or more distinct types or colors of ribbon in a single application. Traditionally, decorative ribbon of a single color or type is curled and applied in a single helix, the user potentially applying helices of different colors or types adjacent to but separate from one another. However, a different decorative effect may be achieved by intertwining the two or more distinct colors or types of ribbons in a generally concentric series of helices. Alternatively, the two or more types or colors of ribbon may be intertwined in two or more helices of common radius, one helix being juxtaposed or slightly translated along its longitudinal axis with respect to the other helix (or helices). To achieve such results using discretely wound helices would be prohibitively time consuming and tedious, since the user would be required to somehow concentrically or co-extensively wind the individual helices together after they were unwound from their respective spools.
Several different prior art approaches to curling and preparing ribbon are available. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,417 issued Apr. 18, 1995 entitled xe2x80x9cRibbon Curling Devicexe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,646 issued Sep. 3, 1996 entitled xe2x80x9cRibbon Curling and Ribbon Splitting Devicexe2x80x9d, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,592 issued Jun. 13, 2000 entitled xe2x80x9cMethod for Imparting Curl to Ribbon Materialxe2x80x9d and assigned Berwick Delaware, Inc. However, the foregoing inventions do not provide a mechanism by which the curled ribbon is ultimately stored in the desired helical geometry of substantially similar radius to that imparted to the ribbon during curling so as to maintain its shape to maximum degree practicable. Additionally, the application of heat to help impart and maintain curl such as that disclosed in the aforementioned ""592 patent requires the ribbon to be wound around the heating surface. Hence, there is a finite duration the ribbon must be in contact with the heating surface in order to impart the curl, since there is a finite heat transfer coefficient between the materials (i.e., the ribbon will not heat to a sufficient curling temperature instantaneously, but rather over a finite interval).
Similarly, none of the foregoing prior art references disclose a method or apparatus for accomplishing concentric or co-extensive (juxtaposed) winding of different types or colors of decorative ribbon or other spooled materials.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus for winding conditioned materials onto a spool such that such materials retain desirable characteristics when removed from the spool at a later time. Such a method and apparatus would ideally (i) allow for the materials to retain their desirable characteristics while being stored on the spool for a significant period of time; (ii) eliminate the need for the end-user to condition the materials (including eliminating the time, labor, and cost potentially associated therewith); (iii) increase end-user satisfaction based on the ability to readily and easily obtain materials having highly uniform and precise conditioning; and (iv) make available concentrically or co-extensively wound materials of different types. Furthermore, such improved method and apparatus would allow the user to store, and dispense the conditioned material easily and conveniently, and in a space-efficient manner.
The invention disclosed herein addresses the foregoing needs by providing an improved method and apparatus for winding conditioned materials onto a spool.
In a first aspect of the invention, an improved method of winding conditioned material onto a spool is disclosed. In one specific embodiment, the material is decorative ribbon which is passed through a conditioning device to impart curl to the ribbon. Prior to or during curling, the desired physical properties of the material after conditioning are specified by the user. The curled ribbon is then wound in a generally helical fashion onto a spool having a diameter generally consistent with that of the radius of the curled ribbon. Accordingly, when the ribbon is subsequently removed from the spool by the user, the conditioned curl and other desirable properties are retained, thereby obviating further conditioning by the user.
In a second aspect of the invention, a method of winding two or more types or colors of material (e.g., decorative ribbon) in a concentric fashion is disclosed. The method generally comprises providing unconditioned ribbon of two or more distinct types or colors; simultaneously passing the different ribbons through parallel conditioning apparatus, each apparatus imparting a curl of slightly different radius to its respective ribbon; and winding the different ribbons concentrically onto a common spool in helical lay fashion such that the different ribbon types at least partially overlay each other.
In a third aspect of the invention, a method of winding two or more types or colors of material (e.g., decorative ribbon) in a translated, co-linear or co-extensive fashion is disclosed. The method generally comprises providing unconditioned ribbon of two or more distinct types or colors; simultaneously passing the different ribbons through parallel conditioning apparatus, each apparatus imparting a curl of common radius to its respective ribbon, yet offset laterally from the other ribbon type(s); and winding the different ribbons in translated co-linear fashion onto a common spool in helical lay fashion.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, an apparatus for winding the material onto one or more spools is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device comprises at least one feed or supply spool containing unconditioned ribbon, a conditioning device which is laterally positioned with respect to at least one selectable take-up spool, and a motive source for driving the take-up spool. The unconditioned ribbon is taken from the supply spool, passed through the conditioner for curling/twisting, and then wound onto the take-up spool in a generally helical pattern which crosses back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the take-up spool. The selected diameter of the spool, in conjunction with the helical lay pattern, aids in maintaining the curl and twist of the ribbon after conditioning. When fully loaded, the take-up spool is removed and an empty spool put in its place. In a second embodiment, the apparatus includes a plurality of supply spools, conditioning devices, and take-up spools such that more than one spool can be wound in parallel. In a third embodiment, the apparatus further includes a tensioning device for controlling the tension of the material as it passes through the conditioning device, and detecting breakage of the material during conditioning/winding.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, an improved spool of conditioned material is disclosed. In one embodiment, the spool comprises a spool of circular cross-section in which the diameter is chosen to approximate the curl radius produced by the conditioning device. The foregoing spool embodiment further has a longitudinal dimension which is substantially greater than that of its diameter, thereby allowing the spool to accommodate appreciable amounts of helically wound ribbon. In another embodiment, the improved spool of the invention includes a usage indicator for indicating to a user the amount of material used from (or alternatively, the amount remaining on) the spool. The indicator comprises two raised ring elements disposed at either end of the spool having periodic concentric markings or indications of radial elevation above the base level (i.e., outermost surface) of the spool winding area. Since the ribbon is wound in uniform helical lay pattern across the spool winding area, the elevation of ribbon at the ends of the spool is effectively identical to that at other locations along the longitudinal axis of the spool. Hence, the ends of the spool can be used by the user as ready visual indicators of the amount of ribbon remaining on the spool. This approach obviates the user having to count the number of linear feet of ribbon used and subtract this value from the total initially wound onto the spool, or visually approximating the amount used or remaining.
In a sixth aspect of the invention, an improved apparatus for conditioning ribbon is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a mechanical curling element and a curling cylinder. The curling element and cylinder are adapted to fit in close tolerance, thereby providing for proper alignment and some frictional resistance to help control tension, yet permit ribbon to pass there between so as to curl the ribbon against the edge of the curling element upon egress. The tolerance between the curling element and cylinder are also optionally controllable by the operator (or alternatively the aforementioned tensioning unit) to maintain the desired tension on the ribbon as it passes through the conditioning device.
In another embodiment, the curling element further includes a resistive heating element disposed in close proximity to curling surface of the element, thereby elevating the temperature of the curling surface such that curl is more readily imparted to the ribbon as it traverses the curling surface.
In yet another embodiment, a pre-heating element is disposed within the curling cylinder. The preheating element comprises a resistive heating element which raises the temperature of the curling cylinder to a desired value sufficient to enhance curling of the ribbon by the curling element, whether or not the aforementioned curling element heater is employed.
In a seventh aspect of the invention, an improved dispenser for the aforementioned ribbon is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the dispenser comprises a generally cylindrical tube having a central cavity and an opening on at least one end, the tube being adapted to accommodate a plurality of different ribbon spools of the type disclosed herein within its central cavity. A plurality of longitudinal slits are formed in the tube to permit the expedient removal of the conditioned ribbon from one or more of the spools.